Why was Victor Hedman's second goal against Montreal on Tuesday allowed to stand when he obviously put it in with his hand?

Sam Perry

Sam:

In order for video review to overturn the Referee's call on the ice there must be definitive and conclusive evidence that the puck made contact with Tampa player Victor Hedman's glove and was directed into the net. As Carey Price and Hedman simultaneously extended a hand toward the incoming puck it must have created sufficient doubt for the men in the Situation Room as to which glove (or even the glove of both players) had contacted the puck resulting in an "inconclusive" verdict. A replay demonstrates that Hedman's hand did make contact with Price's catching glove.

In real time with TSN talent Gord Miller and Mike Johnson commenting, I observed Hedman raise and extend his hands and stick to redirect the puck past Price into the net. The most definitive replay evidence for me resulted from two camera angles taken at ice level; one from the direction of the incoming puck as well as a reverse angle taken from over the shoulder of Hedman as he entered the goal crease area.

In both of these replay angles we see that Hedman was visually focused on the airborne puck as it approached the goal crease. Hedman not only raised his hands and stick toward the puck but clearly extended his right arm/hand with a forward push in an effort to contact the puck once it was within his grasp. Hedman also contacted Price's catching glove hand in the process but as the puck squirted through the last contact appears to be with the glove of Victor Hedman. Following this contact the puck took an abrupt change of direction and entered the net. Given the Tampa player's deliberate hand motion and contact of the puck with his glove, any subsequent deflection of the puck off Price or Hedman himself would still result in a disallowed goal as per the rule.

Rule 67.6—Disallowed Goal states that a goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats or directs the puck with his hand into the net. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats or directs the puck and it is deflected into the net off any player, goalkeeper or official. When the puck enters the net on a clear deflection off a glove, the goal shall be allowed.

Given the deliberate hand action utilized by Tampa player Hedman on the approaching puck it is not possible for anyone to deem that a "clear deflection" occurred if the puck in fact contacted Hedman's glove. Given the "inconclusive" verdict rendered by the men in the Situation Room the only thing left for us to assume is that they could not clearly determine that the puck made contact with Hedman's glove.

I respectfully disagree and my call is upon further video review I determine that the puck was directed into the net by the hand of Victor Hedman. The Referee's call on the ice is reversed — NO GOAL!

Kerry Fraser

Kerry Fraser is an analyst for the NHL on TSN and That's Hockey 2Nite on TSN2. As one of the league's most recognizable senior referees, he's worked 1,904 NHL regular season games and 261 playoff games during his 37-year career.

Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca!